The Associated Branch Pilots, which guide deep-draft ships from the Gulf of Mexico through the mouth of the Mississippi River, halted operations Sunday night and the Crescent River Port Pilots and the New Orleans Baton Rouge Pilot Association followed that lead Monday morning, closing the waterway to deep-draft traffic until the storm passes.

Port officials plan to lock down cranes, remove potential hazards from wharves and secure floating equipment in order to prepare for the storm, said port president and CEO Gary LaGrange. After the storm, the Coast Guard will determine when the river will be reopened.

"The safety of our personnel and their families is paramount during any threat of this kind," LaGrange said in a statement Monday. "Our staff and terminal operators have taken all of the necessary precautions in anticipation of the worst, while we hope for the best. This isn't our first rodeo."

Cruise ship operations at the port were unaffected over the weekend by the approaching storm, LaGrange said. The Carnival Conquest set sail Sunday and is due back Sept. 2, while the Carnival Elation is slated to arrive Thursday at the Erato Street Cruise Terminal.